Why the WAR on DRUGS is wrong

 

Why the WAR on DRUGS is wrong

First let me say that hard drugs destroy lives, families and damage society.  The most dangerous illegal drugs are meth, heroin and cocaine.  These are physically and mentally addictive.  Once hooked most people can’t get unhooked without help.

But the War on Drugs is not helping and it is costing us hundreds of billions we can’t afford.

Now for some facts that should have you concerned.  We the taxpayers are spending:

1.    $2.2 billion for the DEA – we should get rid of these guys

2.    $340 billion (we have 6.8 million people locked up for drug offenses at $50,000 per year each)

3.    $1 billion to Columbia, Mexico and Afghanistan to fight with drug lords

4.    We have local drug task forces in all major cities doing nothing but hunting drug users

5.    All hospitals in major cities treat over dose cases everyday at taxpayer expense

6.    All hospitals treat victims of drug related violence

The effects of our War on Drugs are destroying entire countries.  Columbia, Afghanistan, Mexico and other countries are now run by drug lords with money from illegal users in America and Europe. 

Mexico is in a war for their country with drug lords that kill thousands of people each year.

None of the over $40 billion in illegal drug trade in America is controlled or taxed. 

This madness has been going on my entire lifetime and people still use illegal drugs.  We must try a different approach and stop this failed policy.

If America legalized the illegal drugs and controlled them through government run centers in major cities using FDA certified drugs from drug companies we could end 90% of taxpayer spending and eliminate the drug wars overseas. 

The cost to users of drugs would fall to about 10% of street prices and put the illegal drug dealers out of business.

Each addict would get their drugs in the center and they would also be able to sign up for drug treatment in the same center.

People arrested for illegal drug use would be sent to rehab, not to jail.

Many drug users want to get off drugs but America doesn’t have enough treatment space available and in many cases private for profit treatment centers are too expensive for most people.

We do need to reduce illegal drug use, but what we are doing know isn’t working.  In fact it makes things worse not better.

Marijuana should be made legal immediately.  All objective studies show this drug is not dangerous – no one has died from using it and it is a lot safer than many things we use each day.  That alone would remove over 1 million people from jail.

1.    The DEA's Administrative Law Judge, Francis Young concluded: "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care.:

I am amazed at the response I get whenever I bring this subject up.  People will drink until they are stoned and no one says anything, but if someone were to light up Marijuana cigarette the same people would go crazy.  Republican red neck right-wing nut jobs are causing America all our major problems.

The taxes on the sale of the drugs would pay for the centers and the rehab programs. 

It is past time to make some changes and begin to help those that are addicted to drugs and help society and the taxpayers.